


Morals

by jynx



Category: Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 15:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2513015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jynx/pseuds/jynx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve learns another piece of the puzzle that makes up Tony Stark</p>
            </blockquote>





	Morals

It was late when Steve wandered into the kitchen looking for a glass of water. He stared blearily at the numbers on the microwave as he drank slowly and tried not to fall asleep standing up. He’d woken, and not really been sure why, but he had been too wary to fall back asleep just yet, in case whatever demon had woken him was still lurking in wait.

He was just setting the glass in the dishwasher when he heard voices out in the dark. He didn’t think he recognized any of them, but they wouldn’t have been here if an Avenger hadn’t been with them.

“Can’t you just leave it be, for once?” the unknown voice asked, obviously annoyed.

“No, I can’t,” said the other voice, one that was obviously Tony’s, now that Steve had crept closer to the door to hear them.

“You’re going to give yourself a heart attack,” the other man said, voice rising.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Tony said calmly. “Rhodey, please. Just…let it go?”

“And watch you kill yourself? Who would be all right with that?!”

“My Board of Directors?” Tony said, chuckling.

“If you can’t be serious, I see no reason why I should take you seriously,” the other man growled.

Steve could just make out Tony leaning against the wall. “Rhodey…”

“No, I don’t want to hear it,” Rhodey said harshly. He stepped over and kissed Tony quickly, ignoring the way the other man leaned into him. “I’ll see you later,” he said, mumbling, as he headed out the door, closing it just short of a slam.

“Fuck,” Tony muttered, scrubbing his face with his hands, turning to come into the kitchen.

Steve stepped back quickly in the kitchen to avoid having Tony run into him. “Uh, hi,” Steve said awkwardly as Tony stared at him.

“How long have you been there?” Tony asked, sounding tired as he flipped the lights on at their lowest setting.

“Not that long,” Steve said slowly, carefully.

“But long enough,” Tony filled in. He turned to contemplate the coffee maker before looking away a few moments later, scrubbing his face. “And?”

“And what?” Steve asked, on the verge of panic. “It’s fine, right? I mean, that’s how things are now, right? Everyone just kind of just does what they want and they love who they love. Right?”

Tony looked amused as he reached into the fridge and pulled out a beer. “Love is over rated in this century, Steve. That’s why there are so many miserable people using other things to fill that void in them. Some lock into a ritual of marry, divorce, remarry, so on and so forth. Others just take a damned pill to make them happy and think they’re normal and in love with someone they really can’t stand. Welcome to the 21st century,” Tony said, toasting Steve with his bottle of beer in an ironic salute.

Steve shook his head, running his hand through his hair. “That’s just one of those things that I do not understand how it happened. I mean, romance and so on could not have just completely died out.”

“It didn’t,” Tony said, taking a big swig. “It got replaced. Why bother trying to woo someone when you can just mail-order your perfect bride?”

“Why sleep with both men and women if you’re just trying to fill a void? Wouldn’t that make you shallow?” Steve retorted. Honestly, sometimes he wondered how only fifty years could have passed. Please had respect then, both for others and themselves.

“No, it would mean you’re searching for something,” Tony said, finishing off his beer. “You can sleep around and still have morals.”

“Searching for what? The perfect fit?” Steve quipped.

Tony laughed softly, “Touché. Good night, Cap.”

Steve scowled at Tony’s retreating back. Yeah, his foot was in his mouth and he was a hypocrite to judge Tony based on who he preferred to sleep with, but all the same…it just wasn’t right.


End file.
